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Alvarez vs. McGregor: Mental Monopoly

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For many who step into the cage with Conor McGregor, the fight is already lost before the bell. Receiving a barrage of insults or being publ...

For many who step into the cage with Conor McGregor, the fight is already lost before the bell. Receiving a barrage of insults or being publicly mocked certainly takes its toll on even the planet's toughest athletes.

Rest assured, The Notorious has plenty more weapons in his armoury which has been essential in him scaling to the very pinnacle of combat sport, but he doesn't often need to delve further. He makes everything a battlefield, including the press conferences.

As things have unravelled en route to the star-studded UFC 205, Eddie Alvarez is caught up in the crossfire. The lightweight champion has been bombarded, provoked and mocked, and even if he is able to laugh it off, there's only so much one man can take. José Aldo couldn't even speak full English and was mentally torn apart like never seen before during the World Championship press tour in the spring of 2015. Dustin Poirier was tormented and loathed the sight of him from the start. Marcus Brimage seemed to have had enough by the weigh-ins. Rafael Dos Anjos' eyes burned with anger in his presser. All were fighters competing at the very cream of the crop, and all seemed to be completely unwound, and subsequently knocked out in the first round (barring Dos Anjos who withdrew from the fight due to injury).

Image: UFC on FOX

Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez knew he had a target on his back, but following the tickets-on-sale press conference and a wild media call, blood is boiling. His wrath may not put McGregor in the danger zone though, but instead himself.

Few would disagree over a simple breakdown of the fight that on the feet, McGregor possesses a huge advantage. This, however, is mixed martial arts - you can't just rely on a straight left to get the job done. Hence, for the short time over the Irishman's tectonic rise to the top, fans, media and foes have unloaded on "the wrestler question".

Chad Mendes was set to put that to the test at UFC 189 as a short notice replacement, and for the better part of two rounds, he did. A piercing elbow busted his opponent open, with relentless pressure and a submission attempt being survived. Another short notice replacement, Nate Diaz, would see his fortunes come through a rear-naked choke, in what was pretty much a suicide takedown from a dazed featherweight champion. Despite those cases, it still seems that we are waiting for a true answer.

Image: MMA Fighting

Earlier in the year, Eddie Alvarez joined the MMA Hour a few weeks after defeating Anthony Pettis and sounded off on the champion in the division below. "There's a simple way to win against this guy and nobody seems to be doing it. It's really frustrating to watch," he explained.

"I feel like he'll look foolish. I honestly feel it could be an embarrassment. It could be like everyone in the crowd going, 'Wow, that was it? Why didn't anybody else do that?' It could be that surprising to people. That's how I feel. We just haven't seen him there." It appears the Philly native may have something up his sleeve which could shock the world, but to even have a chance to equip that he must put the rest of his opponent's antics at bay.

Taking him to the ground and either grinding out a decision or forcing his opponent to surrender seem to be viable go-to options. But as previous fights prove, Eddie is a brawler at heart. One shot and he will swarm you, not something suitable for a fighter with the crisp counter-punching ability that McGregor has, able to cut the lights at any given time.

A few weeks on from the initial conference, Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez would go at it again in the pre-fight presser. The Underground King looked visibly revamped and prepared for the verbal onslaught, taking things a little more lightly that time round. He instead allowed the featherweight champion to get riled up, while he spectated with an amused look across his face - a better reaction than most.

Nonetheless, it appears one thing exchanged over the conference call a week prior is still embedded into the mind of the lightweight kingpin - the family talk. McGregor referenced Alvarez's kids and it was taken personally, with Alvarez bringing it up and wanting an apology. The way Alvarez is speaking suggests he doesn't want to outpoint or simply beat The Notorious, he wants to embarrass him.

Perhaps he will go for a submission, when he eventually gets Conor down. The jabs at jiu-jitsu coaches and a loss to Diaz in March may give Alvarez the confidence he needs in that department. But as alluded to earlier, Alvarez is at heart a brawler, and he may come in swinging.

That makes it all a little simpler for McGregor. Move out, and then land that crippling left hand. Alvarez could just be playing into those tactics, but on a further look, perhaps his confidence will be key. We can't delve too deep into his psychology, however in the chair confusion/melee drama, he appeared to be the one enjoying it while Conor was going at him.

Image: Online--News

From the opening bell it will all be revealed, our questions of whether or not the lightweight champion has been mentally jarred by McGregor will tell instantly. Depending on that answer, it may not be too long after the bell before the fight is over.